Okereke-Onyuike’s Dangerous Charade!

Okereke-Onyiuke.

By Larry Charles
A very dangerous and corrupt campaign has been launched in Nigeria, Africa’s notorious nation for scams, and corruption. This campaign 'AFO' if not immediately stopped by the Federal Government of Nigeria’s anti-corruption Agencies, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Nigeria may be labeled as the country that could destroy the wonderful campaign of Obama for the USA Presidential seat. Would the world ever forgive Nigeria for this corrupt act?
The Ndi Okereke-Onyuike AFO – (Africa for Obama) is an immoral and corrupt organisation not fit to be celebrated. I seize the is opportunity to commend the Nigerian media and citizens for condemning the charade that NSE boss is promoting.
The EFCC should immediately move into the organisation to probe the dirty deals, confiscate all sums so far contributed – over N100 million (USD $800,000.00), and prosecute all the members of AFO if they are found to have violated the laws of the land. From patriotic and legal points of views, the of AFO campaign is illegal, immoral, corrupt – prone and a violation of the integrity of Nigeria and Nigerians.
The community of nations will use this corrupt prone dinner bash to again condemn Nigeria and Nigerians as introducing her corruption to a new level in the world arena. Apart from the illegality of the fund – raising exercise the Obama campaign had rejected the sum of over $80 million from the Federal Electoral Fund. If Obama could reject legitimate had funds due from the US electoral campaign, what is he doing with ($800,000.00) funds raised from Nigeria, considered in USA as one of the most corrupt African countries with over 80 per cent of the population living below one US dollar a day?
Why are Nigerian elites and multi-billionaires always positioning Nigeria and her over 140 million population as an obnoxious people lacking in conscience, integrity, sensitivity and morals? Nigeria, inspite of her status as the sixth largest oil producing country in the world, is today ranked as one of the 20 poorest countries in the world.
Nigeria’s life expectancy today is put at under 43 years. The reality of Nigeria as experienced by over 90per cent of the population is a nation that has completely failed! All the roads in the 36 states are totally dilapidated. Youth unemployment is over 80% and practically all the industries in Nigeria are dead.
The surviving  industries are running in self generated power with diesel contributing to over 50 per cent increase in the cost of production. Imagine the inflation and the terrible quality of life caused by the completely dilapidated power sector. If the power sector is dead, security is at a very high risk, the youths are roaming around in Okada and creating cult groups to rob innocent citizens and violate the laws of the land; why should Nigerian elites conceive an AFO project to raise obscene funds to support Obama in direct contraventions of the laws of the USA?
The promoter, Ndi Okereke is mobilising trouble for Nigeria and Obama! The Independent Editorial of August 15, 2008 put it succinctly:
“We recall several times in the recent past when in an all out objective to curry favour from the powers that be, Prof. Okereke-Onyiuke threw caution and decorum to the wind. In 2003 she led a group of business organisations under the banner of “Corporatete Nigeria” into making huge contributions towards the election campaign finances of then President Olusegun Obasanjo – an act that violated the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA). She also led a group of prominent business people under the same banner to infuse large amounts of money into Chief Obasanjo’s Presidential Library project. Again as Director General of Nigeria Stock Exchange (NSE) she got herself appointed chairperson of a soon to be quoted company – Transnational Corporation of Nigeria (Transcorp).
It is this Newspaper’s firm belief that the best thing for all non – US based individuals and organisations to do at this time is simply let Obama be while supporting him with fervent prayers.”
The newspaper's Editorial is a clarion call to those AFO campaigners to save Nigeria another odium. Such obscene  display of wealth amidst grueling poverty is responsible for the disrespect to millions of Nigerians by foreign nationals. Nigerians are treated with disdain in several countries of the world.
An  American top policy expert remarked disdainfully – Raise funds to fix your roads and feed your hungry millions; 90 per cent of Nigeria’s over 140 million population lack clean water, lack housing, live in total darkness; 80 per cent of youths have no jobs and no hope for tomorrow. Nigerian graduates are engaged in Okada riding because all the industries are dead.
The Universities, over 150 now, are still poorly equipped and standards very poor. The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), an association of academics in Nigerian Universities is continuously at war with the Federal Government over salary and welfare issues which remain contentious. Labour Unions continue to threaten the state over incessant depreciation in quality of life!
This is the country whose elites could cough out N100 million in one dinner bash under a so called AFO to promote the Obama Campaign. Obama does not need your funds, but your prayers.
Reuben Abati concluded his soul -searching piece ,“The N100 Million Dinner for Obama" published on page 67 of The Guardian on Friday, August 15, 2008 with these words: “what is the matter with us.?” Abati also very aptly quoted the NSE boss, Okereke-Onyiuke in the very first paragraph as condemning the patriots who are against her overzealous display of unsolicitated funds for Obama. Hear her arrogant insult: “Some skeptical people have been writing nonsense and rubbish in the newspapers that what is my business with Obama. But they are free to continue to write petitions. It is not their money that we are spending?”
These are the exact words of Ndidi Okereke-Onyiuke, Director-General of the Nigerian Stock Exchange and Chairman, Africans for Obama 2008.
If Ndi-Okereke can label the patriots as “writing nonsense and rubbish”, then there is no hope for Nigeria! How can she describe the criticisms from more patriotic and sensible Nigerians who see her project as bringing disgrace to Nigeria and Nigerians and Africans as writing nonsense’ and arrogantly asserting that “It is not their money that we are spending”. Whose money please?
Such arrogant and insensitive statements are responsible for fueling the militancy in the Niger Delta. If over N100million or $800,000 could be mobilised in just one bash for a so called ‘Obama Campaign’ in far away America, why can’t the same elites organise to mobilise $100 billion to restore hope, sanity and fast track development in a terrain that is notorious as a region of death and injustice globally?
I challenge the Nigerian elites to be more patriotic and sensitive to the cause of Nigeria and her over 140 million people.
Several months ago, I wrote a friend, a prominent Niger Deltan whose agency is playing a crucial role in the empowerment of the youths through skills acquisition  that he should facilitate our proposal to launch an International Fund to support the Niger Delta development.
Indeed, my target was to mobilise $10 billion in the first phase. The campaign as I had proposed would take place in several countries of the world and all funds mobilised to be warehoused with an International Agency of the UN. I am still working on this project and our elites should support such a campaign, to mobilise our youths, women and children who are victims of the terrible policies that have stunted development and made Nigeria a laughing stock amongst the committee of nations.
Nigeria, the sixth largest crude oil producer in the world is the poorest of all OPEC nations and indeed one of the 20 poorest nations of the world. Reuben Abati’s concern should set the tone for a national dialogue.
Nigeria is the only country in the world that invests billions of dollars every year in hosting international summits. Nigeria hosts the most Summits, Conferences, Music Fiestas, Seminars, Dialogues.
The same Ndi Okereke-Onyuike facilitated an illegal extortionist Presidential Library Fund Raising for ex-president Obasanjo. It was immoral and insensitive for a sitting President to use his position and office to exploit the people and mobilise funds.
A scandalous seven billion naira plus was raised by ‘Corporate Nigeria’, many donated funds from their agencies. But tragically and ironically, there is no road to Abeokuta, the location of the library.
We hold that enviable record of organising and mobilising funds via launching! After the illegal fund raising campaign for ex-president Obasanjo in 2003 by the same Okereke-Onyiuke-led group, what has Nigeria gained in retrospect from the Obasanjo’s regime since 1999 – 2007? Let the House and Senate Committees publish the reports of the probes and public hearings for Nigerians to judge!
Those who campaigned and raised funds for Obasanjo are major contributors to the collapse of values and development in the past nine years.
One of the most terrible scandals in Obasanjo’s regime in 2006 was the evolution of Transcorp in shady circumstances.
Transcorp, promoted by the same Okereke-Onyuike, exploited millions of Nigerians to stake their hard-earned cash to buy shares and earn from their oil cake. Today, the  shares of Transcorp have plummeted from the original N7.50 per share to a disgraceful N2.5 a share.
Millions of Nigerian agonise daily as they traverse the death traps called roads across Nigeria’s 36 states. Most scandalous is the Lagos – Benin road that has gained global notoriety in the last nine years, eight of which President Obasanjo was President of Nigeria. In those eight years, Nigeria’s earnings from crude oil far surpassed her earnings from 1960-1999.
But the state of Nigerian  infrastructure – Roads, Power, Water, Industry, Health in the past eight years, remains dismal.
nLarry Charles is a Publisher/Consultant on Public Affairs and Political Leadership. He wrote in from Lagos.